Relief-valve for pneumatic cleaning systems.



M. S. WRIGHT.

RELIEF VALVE FOR PNEUMATIC CLEANING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION rum) APR.23.1910.

1,026, 1 93. Patented May 14, 1912.

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COLUMBIA PuNofllunn c0.. WASHINGTON. D c.

onr'ran s'rA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

MORRIS S. WRIGHT, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MORRIS S.

WRIGHT COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAS- SACHUSETTS.

RELIEF-VALVE FOR PNEUMATIC CLEANING SYSTEMS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Morons S. VRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVorcester, in the county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ReliefValves for Pneumatic Cleaning Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The present invention relates to improvements in relief valve mechanism, primarily designed for use in pneumatic cleaning systems, of the type employing a vacuum chamber with an associated bellows or pump for drawing into said chamber dust laden air through a connected nozzle or the like adapted to play over a surface to be cleaned.

More particularly the invention comprises a relief valve for accurately regulating the Vacuum in the vacuum chamber, to prevent injury to the parts due to an excess of suction and to this end includes an automatically operable valve, means for controlling the operation thereof, and indicator mechanism associated with said controlling means whereby the latter may be more readily and accurately adjusted.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, a convenient embodiment of the invention is disclosed for the purpose of illustration and in said drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical view partly in section disclosing in part a vacuum chamber and bellows, and the relief valve mechanism mounted on said chamber; Fig. 2 is a detail view partly in section disclosing the controlling mechanism for the relief valve and the indicator as sociated therewith. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the indicator and operating handle for the valve adjusting mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like reference numerals relate to corresponding parts throughout the several views 1 is a vacuum chamber or the like having in one wall thereof an opening 1 for the connection of a hose or nozzle adapted to play over a surface to be cleaned, and 2 is a pneumatic or bellows broken away and of any suitable construction, the same Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 23, 1910. Serial No. 557,223.

Patented May 14, 1912.

being supported on the vacuum chamber and operating to create suction and draw the dust laden air from the hose 1" through said opening 1 into the vacuum chamber in a manner well understood in the art.

To one side of the pneumatic, the top wall of the vacuum chamber has an opening 1 and projecting into said opening is an open ended cylinder or tube 3,11aving a peripheral flange or collar 4: adapted to rest on the upper surface of the vacuum chamber and to be rcmovably secured thereto by threaded bolts of the like 5. The flange or collar 4 constitutes an efficient support for the cylinder 3 and closes the space between the wall of the latter and the wall of the opening 1 in the vacuum chamber. If desired a flexible washer or gasket (not shown) may be interposed between said collar 4 and the top of the vacuum chamber to make a tighter joint. The cylinder or tube 3 has an internal annular flange 6 which constitutes the wall of the opening 6 at the lower end of the cylinder and also an extended bearing for the valve proper, which latter conveniently comprises a metallic disk 7 and a yieldable disk such as rubber 7, the latter engaging said ext-ended bearing 6 when the parts are in normal position, to prevent the admission of air through said cylinder 8. The cylinder has integral projections adjacentits upper and lower ends constituting sleeves or bearings 8 and 8 respectively, for an elongated valve stem or rod 9 secured to the valve as by a nut 10. Secured to the rod 9 in any suitablemanner is a disk conveniently of metal 11, and mounted thereon is a tube 12 having a transversely extending pin 13. An auxiliary rod 1 1v has a yieldable connection with the rod 9 through the medium of a coil spring 15 secured at one end to the pin 13 and at its opposite end over the collar 15 on the rod 14. Means are provided for regulating the tension of the spring by ad justing the rods 9 and 14: relative to one another and thereby controlling the operation of the valve, which latter, as will be appreciated, opens according to the vacuum in the chamber 1.

Resting upon the top of the chamber 1 are by a screw 23 is a cam disk 24.

upright supports '16 having oppositely disposed bearing blocks 17 for the journals 18 at opposite ends of a shaft 19. Adjacent one end of the shaft 19 is an offset or angled arm or crank 20, the free end of which engages in a recess adjacent the upper end of the rod 14, and a spring 21 secured to said rod 14 and overlying the arm 20 tends to prevent accidental separation of these parts. By imparting rotary movement to the shaft 19, longitudinal movement is thereby imparted by the rocking movement of the arm 20 to the rod 14, and the tension of the spring 15 is thereby adjusted. The means for operating the shaft19 conveniently comprises the following parts: An elongated sleeve 21 projects through one of the upright supports 16 and terminates at its outer end in an annular flange 21 overlying the outer surface of said support 16. Loosely mounted in said sleeve is an elongated shaft 22 and removably mounted on the inner end thereof as from the shaft 19 is an offset or angled arm or crank 25 similar to the arm 20 with the free end extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 19 and adapted to be engaged by the periphery of the cam disk 24. Owing to the tension of the spring 15, the said arm 25 and cam disk will be held in contact. 7 The cam is so arranged and constructed that when a rotary movement is imparted thereto by the shaft 22 in the direction of the arrow the arm 25 will rock the shaft 19 and in turn through the arm 20.elevate the rod 14 to increase the tension of the spring 15 with the result that the action of the valve disk 19 may be controlled to a nicety and the vacuum in the chamber 1 thereby regulated, it being appreciated that the tensionof the spring may be relieved,

, and the degree of vacuum in the chamber 1 necessary to open the relief valve 7 reduced, by reversing the rotary movement of the disk 24. About the periphery of the cam disk 24 are a series of spaced recesses 26'into which as the disk 24 is rotated the free end of the arm 25 engages to thereby hold'the arm 25, and the parts moved thereby including the tension spring 15, in adjusted positions. The walls surrounding the recesses 26 are curved whereby the arm 25 will ride out of said recess in either direction of movement of the disk 24. Secured to the outer end of the shaft 22 is an operating handle 27 having a roughened or serrated surface 27 adapted to be engaged by the fingers of the user, and

also secured to said shaft in any desired manner as by having a collar mounted on said shaft is an indicating finger or pointer 28 adapted for rotation with said shaft 22 and handle 27. The collar 21 of the sleeve 21 has a series of representations conveniently numerals concentrically arranged to Proj ecting ing. the top of the vacuum chamber 1 any dust the shaft 22, and thereby constituting a dial adapted to be traversed by the pointer 28, so as to guide the operator in accurately adjusting the shaft 2 It is believed the operation of the apparatus will be well understood from the description above, briefly reviewed as follows: The parts being in normal position as illus-' trated more clearly in Fig. l of the drawings the action of the bellows is to draw the dust through the tube l by force of suction in the chamber 1, the valve disk 7 with the yieldable face 7 resting against the open end of the cylinder 2 being held to its seatby the spring 15 connected to the valve rod 9, and effectually preventing the entrance of air through said cylinder. In order to regulate the action of said valve, whereby the same will not open except when the vacuum reaches a point where injury is liable to result to the apparatus, the operator grasps the handle 27 and by imparting rotary movement thereto and in turn to the shaft 19 moves the rod 14 longitudinally up or down according to whether it is desired to increase or reduce the tension of the spring, as before explained. Should it be desired to gain access to the valve 7 so as to replace the same or any of its parts, it is only necessary to remove the retaining means 5 and raise the cylinder 8 and disk 7 the opening 1 being sufficiently large to permit the ready passage of the disk 7 which overlies the wall of the cylinder 3 through said open, By having the cylinder project above which may accumulate on the upper surfaces of the chamber 1 is prevented from finding a passage into the opening of the cylinder 3, and to further guard against the accumulation of dust and dirt into said cylinder 3, I provide the annular disk 11 hereinbefore referred to, the same having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the cylinder 3, from which it will be seen that said disk 11 will constitute an effective guard for preventing dust falling into said cylinder. This is an important feature of the invention since owing to the very nature 7 of the apparatus and the uses for which it is designed there is apt to be more or less dis-* turbance of dust and dirt.

What I-claim is:

1. 'In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber having an inlet and a pneumatic supported thereon, a valve opening in one of its walls, a cylinder fitted in said opening and having an open end projecting above the wall of said opening, and an automatically operable valve for the lower end of said cylinder.

2. In a pneumatic cleaner of the character described, the combination of a vacuum chamber having an lnlet opening and vacuum creating means, one wall of said chamher having an opening, a cylinder fitted to sald opening having an annular flange overlylng the wall of said opening, said cylmder being open at opposite ends, a valve for closing the lower end opening, resilient means for normally holding the valve closed, and means for regulating the tension of said resilient means.

3. In a pneumatic cleaner of the character described, the combination of a vacuum chamber having an inlet opening and vacuum creating means, one wall of said chamber having an opening, a cylinder fitted to said opening having an annular flange overlying the wall of said opening, said cylinder being open at opposite ends, a valve for closing the lower end opening, spring means for normally holding the valve closed, and means for adjusting the spring and indicating mechanism associated with said last mentioned means.

1. In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber having an inlet opening and vacuum creating means, one wall of said chamber having a relief valve opening, a cylinder fitted to said opening and open at opposite ends an automatically operable valve for one of the openings in the cylinder, and a hood arranged opposite said other opening of the cylinder.

5. In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber having an inlet opening and vacuum creating means, one wall of said chamber having a relief valve opening, an automatically operable valve for said opening, and a dust guard mounted upon the valve stem and having a diameter slightly greater than the valve opening.

6. In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber having a valve opening, an automatically operable valve for regulating the vacuum, a valve stem, and a hood carried by the stem and overlying the valve openin 7. In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber having a valve opening, an automatically operable valve for regulating the vacuum, a valve stem, a hood carried by the stem and overlying the valve opening, adjustable spring means for said valve stem, and an indicator associated with said means.

8. In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber having a valve opening, a valve for said opening, a spring for normally holding the valve closed and cam means for adjusting said spring to regulate the opening of the valve.

9. In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber having a valve opening, a valve for said opening, a spring for normally holding the valve closed,

and a cam actuated longitudinally movable rod for adjusting the spring to regulate the opening of the valve.

10. In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber having a valve opening, a valve for said open ing, a spring for normally holding the valve closed, a cam actuated longitudinally movable rod for adjusting the spring to regulate the opening of the valve, and means for holding said parts in adjusted position.

11. In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber having a valve opening, a valve for said opening, a valve stem, a spring for the stem for normally holding the valve closed, means for adjusting the tension of the spring including a longitudinally movable rod, and a rocking member engaging with the latter.

12. In a pneumatic cleaning apparatus, the combination of a vacuum chamber having a valve opening, a valve for said opening, a valve stem, a spring. for the stem for normally holding the valve closed, means for adjusting the tension of the spring including a longitudinally movable rod, a rocking member engaging with the latter, and an indicator associated with said rocking member.

13. In a pneumatic cleaning system, the combination of a vacuum chamber including stationary top and bottom walls separated from one another to constitute a box like receptacle, a pipe connecting with an opening in one of the side walls for the receptacle. an opening in the stationary upper surface of the receptacle, a pump surrounding said opening and supported on said upper surface of the receptacle, an auxiliary opening in said upper surface of the receptacle at a point between the inlet end of the receptacle and the pump opening in the latter, and a manually adjustable automatically operable relief valve for said auxiliary opening.

14. In a pneumatic cleaning system, the combination of a receptacle having a stationary upper wall, an inlet pipe at one end of said receptacle, vacuum creating means mounted upon said stationary wall of the receptacle, said receptacle also having an opening in said stationary wall to one side of the vacuum creating means, an automatically controlled relief mechanism for said chamber, including a removable cylinder fitting in, said opening and forming a valve seat, an automatically operable spring pressed valve to engage said seat, and means also supported on the stationary wall of the vacuum chamber to the opposite side of the valve opening for adjusting the tension of the spring.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a vacuum chamautomatically operable relief valve for said 10 her including top, bottom and side Walls conauxiliary opening.

stituting a box-like receptacle, the recep- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature tacle having an inlet opening in one of its in presence of tWo Witnesses.

side Walls; the upper Wall having an 0 en ing; a pump surrounding said opening and MORRIS WRIGHT supported on said top Wall of the receptacle; WVitnesses:

the top Wall having an auxiliary opening HENRY P. MURRAY,

to one side of said pump opening; and an HALLEOK BARTLETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

a Washington, D. O. 

